In Sickness and Health
by Supernaturalloverja
Summary: After a mission goes wrong things start to change, Alec gets sick and Max is more broken up about it then she thought possible. Things will never be the same, but will it be for the better? "I'm scared Max, but not for me." "I love you Alec." "I'm not giving him to you!" "But I love you enough to let you go." MA
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Dark Angel or its characters if I did it would not have ended.**

**In Sickness and Health**

"We are out of Tryptophan." Dix announced from Max's office doorway. Max looked up from her stack of papers cracked her cricked neck.

"What?" Max questioned, hoping she had heard wrong.

"We are out of Tryptophan." He answered with the same monotone voice. He leaned precariously against the door frame gave her a questioning look. "You having problems with your hearing?"

"I heard you!" Max snapped leaning heavily against her desk, "I just wished I had heard wrong."

Dix nodded slowly, "So… what do you want to do?"

Max chewed her bottom lip for a moment before snapping her head back up with a sudden thought. "Get me a video conference with Logan, tell him it's important. Maybe he will be able to get some inte on a supply."

Dix nodded before swinging out of the doorway and to the conference room. Max stood and straightened out some of the forms that floated up with the wind she had caused. She moved quickly across the office floor and out into the hallway before moving in front of another room. She didn't boher knocking before opening the door and peering in, "Alec."

All she saw was a head of dirty blond hair set on top of an array of forms and blueprints. The only sign that he wasn't dead was the puff of air that rustled the papers by his lips. The room was dark and the blinds were closed, he had probably fallen asleep after his pick up yesterday. She hated to wake him, he looked so peaceful asleep, and completely exhausted. But she needed his help, he was her 2IC and this was important. "Alec!"

His head snapped up and a sheet remained glued to his cheek, "What? I'm awake! Just restin' my eyes!"

Max pulled her lips in to keep from giggling at his rumpled look. His hair was matted on one side and stuck up at angles on the other side, not to mention the paper still attached to his face. He rubbed a hand over his face and carefully peeled away the object on his cheek, looking up at her hazel eyes lined by dark circles. "How can I be of service Maxie?"

"Dix just informed me that we are out of Tryptophan. I already called for a video conference with Logan, but I'd like you to be there cause I plan on taking you out on the mission with me. Unless you need to get back to your nap." She didn't look away but she couldn't help think how adorable he looked, wait, she did not just think that. Oh Darn it! She forgot to tell him not to call her Maxie! Well it's too late now, or is it. Does he already think that now it's okay to call Maxie? Does she like when he calls her Maxie? When did she start questioning that? Is he talking to her right now?

"Earth to Maxie!" Alec called snapping his fingers in front of her face, "Maybe I'm not the one who needs the nap."

"What? No. I'm fine, shark DNA, just thinking." She informed him crossing her arms over her chest.

"You can't listen and think at the same time? Oh, Maxie, you need more than a nap." Alec chuckled happily stretching his arms upward. Max couldn't help but let her eyes wander down to where his shirt had ridden up and a strip of taunt abs was showing. She shook her curls out and placed a frown on her face before continuing.

"Alec, this is important. We are out of tryptophan. Can't you be serious for one minute."

"Of course I can, but what's the fun in that." He quipped with a yawn before Dix popped his head through the door.

"I got Logan on the screen." Max nodded and grabbed Alec by the elbow, ushering him out of the dark office and into the bright hallway. He blinked against the bright lights and let himself be led into the conference room.

"Hey Logan!" Max chirped sitting down in one of the chairs in front of the screen.

"Hey Loggie" Alec mocked batting his eyelashes before taking the seat beside Max. He was rewarded for his comedy by an elbow to the ribs, "Ouch, you are damaging the merchandise."

"Oh Please!" Max balked back leaning closer to him.

"I saw you looking Maxie." Before Max could laugh back Logan cleared his throat on the screen. With a warning glare to Alec, she turned her attention back to the screen.

"What have you got?" Logan looked down at a file and clicked at something on another screen.

As he came back into view he started to relay information, " I found an old hospital about 10 miles from Terminal City which has been abandoned. There is something about a virus outbreak a long time ago, but nothing since. There are files for every medication going in and out except one which only went in, Tryptophan."

"Thanks Logan, we will be in touch." Max informed him before clicking off the screen, "We head out in 2 hours. Alec round up a group, I'll get us a truck."

**DarkAngel**

Max had been waiting by the truck for twenty minutes, twenty minutes later then they were supposed to leave. Just as Max was about to go a rampage the cocky X5 waltzed up with a group of 3 guys behind him.

"I know I'm late, you're mad, blah blah…" Alec interrupted as her lips parted to scold him.

Max gritted her teeth and sent him a glare, "Let's just get going."

Alec gave her a megawatt smile before starting climbing into the passenger side of the truck. Max pressed a hand to his shoulder from the driver side with an evil grin, "Oh no, you get to ride in the back with the group you chose."

"Come on Maxie! Don't put me in the back! there are only three seat belts back there!" Alec whined keeping a foot in the front door.

"Then I guess it is going to be a bumpy ride for you." Alec groaned rolling his eyes before climbing down and dragging his booted feet to back and clambering into the large compartment with the three X5s already strapped in. As soon as he sealed the doorway the truck pulled forward joltingly, sending him sprawling across the metal bed. He let out a pained groan, "Max!"


	2. Chapter 2

Max moved soundlessly across the abandoned floor of the hospital building. Peeling wallpaper and wrecked boxes climbed up the sides of the hallways and she stayed close to the center with a watchful eye. A lone window stood at the end of the near vacant wall and cast a gloomy light from the moon across the tiled floor. It looked almost like a cheesy horror film that makes you scream at the idiot on scream to run. Max rolled her shoulders back and pushed off the feeling this scenery was sending her.

"Max I think I found it." One of the X5s called before moving into a room off to right, gun in front of him. Max twisted around and slid in through the doorway to see a room piled high with large metal rates with Tryptophan stamped in bold red letters across the width.

"Well I wonder what's in there?" Alec sneered coming up behind Max and lowering his lips by her ear, "Care to make a guess?"

"Shut up Alec." Max barked but she couldn't help the smile ebbing up the sides of her lips. "Let's start unloading this place."

Alec pushed forward and they built an assembly line to get the boxes out of the small room. There were four crates in total but they were rather heavy, even for transgenic strength. Alec heaved up one of the top crates and passed it off to Max who kept it moving down the line.

"4 crates of tryptophan in the room, 4 crates of tryptophan, take one down pass it around, 3 crates of tryptophan in the room…" Alec began to hum reaching back for the next crate. Max shook her head slowly as he continued.

"You really need to work on her communication skills if that is the only thing you can think to say." Max spat playfully taking the crate from Alec's arms.

"I need to work on my communication skills? Hah! Says the girl who hits people to show her frustration!" Alec teased back. Max punched him in the arm and stuck her tongue out to cover up her grin, "My point has just been proven!"

"Well if you weren't such a pain then I wouldn't need to punch you." Max quipped placing her hands on her hips as Alec swiveled to grab the next crate.

"Me? A pain? Oh Max you wound me!" he cried placing his palm over his heart in mock agony, "And besides I am Mr. Charming. Just ask the swarm of girls that line up outside my door."

"Hah! More like Mr…." She began to retort but suddenly a bright red light flooded the room followed by the screech of an alarm. The wail continued and Max stood frozen glancing around for signs of danger. Alec snapped out of his trance first and barked orders for the lower X5s to get out.

"Max! come on we got to go!" Alec yelped just as the metal doors began to close. Alec pressed the resisting female backwards until they were in the doorway but it was too close to closed to push through. Alec wrapped his fingers around the metal door and pulled to the side until the door squealed in resistance and began to move against its will. "Max go! Hurry!"

The other X5s stood on the other side of the door and stared wide eyed at the marvel that was happening before them. Max motioned for them to take the pills and get out but they resisted until Alec nodded his agreement. Sweat was now beading on his forehead and his chest heaved in exertion as he continued to keep the heavy metal at bay.

"Max you have to get through now!"

This snapped Max from her stupor and she took in the scene and Alec's shaking frame. If he held the door open then as soon as she was through he was going to let go. And that meant he wouldn't be getting out. "No Alec, you won't be able to get out."

Alec simply nodded in understanding before tensing his shoulder muscles and yanking backwards again, "You have to get through Max, I can't hold this much longer."

"No! I won't leave you here!"

"You have to!"

"We will think of another way!"

"There is no other way!" Alec yelled back, his voice loud but calm. He was nearly shaking now with the pressure that was building up from keeping those doors open. Max was taken aback when he looked over to her. There was something in his eyes that she couldn't quite place but knew was important and it made her heart ache. "Let me save you this time."

Max was about to protest when he bit into his lip and pressed his eyes closed before staring right at her. His eyes were swimming with tears and she knew hers were too. "Please Maxie."

She didn't know if it was the words, the eyes, or the emotion that got to her but Max nodded and moved across the threshold. As soon as she was out of the doorway Alec released it and it slammed closed with a sickening pop. Max charged for door but only succeeded in hitting her arms on the cool metal. Max stared through the glass window in the middle of the door and could see Alec stretching his cramped fingers.

"Alec! Can you hear me?" Max cried out banging her small clenched fists onto the door until he turned towards her.

"Yeah, Maxie, there is no need to yell." Alec quipped happily putting on a big fake grin and waltzing over to the door.

"So, I guess you're okay since your smart ass ain't broken."

"You and my ass Maxie, you really need to get this fetish checked out."

"I don't have a…"

"Do you hear that?" Alec interrupted, titling his head to the left and furrowing his brow. Max shook her head before leaning into the door and placing her ear to it. Sure enough she could hear a faint hissing sound.

"What is that?" Max called lifting her eyes back to the glass.

"I have no clue- wait there is something coming through the vent." Alec moved away from the window for a moment and Max craned her neck in an attempt to keep him in eye shot.

"What is it?" She asked as he came back to the door. His hazel eyes were slightly more wide as his smirk was breaking.

"Nothing Max." He answered to quickly, his eyes darting off to the side.

"Alec, just tell me." Max ordered, caught between frustration and worry. Alec swallowed thickly and licked his lips before attempting to tell her, but only a wracking cough came out. Max peered into the room to see a thick yellow fog rolling in across the floor. "Alec what is that?"

He merely shook his head and placed a hand to his chest as more harsh coughs ripped from his chest. He stumbled toward the doorway and palmed meekly at the metal before falling to his knees gasping. Max stared down wide eyed as he went down. His lips were gaping like a fish out of water but his chest did not rise. Max slammed into the door with her full body weight and it sent her backwards sprawling. She stood again, this time aiming for the small window. She lifted her leg and kicked out, wincing as pain shot up her calve and the glass shattered. She glared back into the space to see the yellow fog suck back into the vents in a quick inhalation. The door slipped open and Max rushed forward to kneel by Alec's side.

His lips were a pale blue and his eyes remained glazed as she pressed her ear to his mouth. "Come on Alec you can't do this to me." Max grumbled giving a whack to his chest. He dragged in a breath of air and coughed repeatedly for a few minutes before slumping back into Max's grip.

"Knew you cared… Maxie." He murmured almost sleepily, leaning heavily into her embrace.

"Nah, I just didn't want to explain your death to the flock of girls outside your door."

**DarkAngel**

"You need to go on a diet." Max groaned as she struggled under Alec's bulk trying to maneuver them to the van.

"It's all muscle baby." Alec chuckled looking down at her grimace and winking.

"I think that lack of oxygen damaged the few brain cells you still have working." Max spat back as the van came into view.

"Oh Maxie, Maxie, Maxie, Maxie , I am so on a high from not being dead that your bitter words do not hurt me." Alec grinned smartly trying to draw some of his weight back to his own feet but wobbling at the attempt. Max pulled him closer and pressed her hip against his as he swayed.

"Just shut up and let me help you to the truck." Max snapped but the words weren't nearly as cold as she meant them to be. Alec nodded mutely and dragged in a breath deep into his lungs as they approached the truck. The young male X5s that had accompanied them stood beside the 4 crates and straightened as they saw their superiors approach.

"Let me go Max." Alec replied calmly stopping their movement forward.

"What? Alec you need help, you just went without oxygen, and who knows what that yellow gas was…"

"Max. Let me walk on my own." She was about to argue but she could see look on his face and she understood. He didn't want to look weak in front of the others. She released him from her side but stayed close by as they moved the rest of the way to the truck. "Is all the merchandise accounted for?"

"Yes sir." One of the X5s relayed.

"Very good, then move them into the back and get strapped in. Just in case the ride back is as bumpy as the one here." He finished with a wink at Max and she couldn't help but let her lips quirk. The boys nodded and started to move the crates to the back and lift them in. Alec began to join them in the back but Max gripped his arm and pulled him in the front, opening the passenger door.

"I think you made up for the twenty minutes you were late." Max replied with a grin before moving over to her side of the truck. Alec couldn't help but grin as he climbed into the truck.


	3. Chapter 3

Max looked over at Alec as they arrived at Terminal City and couldn't help think, was he that pale when we left? She shook off the thought and nudged his shoulder to wake him. He looked over at her with owlish eyes. 'I'm just getting paranoid'

"We're here Sleeping Beauty." Max bit out opening the driver's door.

"At least you acknowledged my beauty." Alec smiled but winced at how hoarse his voice sounded. He could see the worried look Max was forming so he opened the door and quickly clambered out but had to stop and place a hand to the truck as the world swayed dizzily. 'Must have moved to fast.'

He moved to the back of the truck and joined the other X5s in unlading the 4 heavy crates. Well he tried to join them but Max had other plans. She walked up behind him and gently gripped his shoulder, turning him away from the truck and towards the building. "Care to share where we are going?"

"To the infirmary." Max answered quickly not allowing him to slow their pace.

"I'm fine Maxie just tired. I just want to go to my apartment and sleep." Alec groaned but Max didn't even give him a response as they continued their way to the infirmary.

"Hello Max, how can I be of… Oh Alec, our long time customer. I'm guessing this visit is for you." Ty said, a new X5 with a gift for medicine.

"I do what I can to keep you in business." Alec smiled ckeekily.

"Well I could use with a little more free time." She teased back before ushering them to and empty bed. "So what happened this time."

Alec opened his mouth to answer but Max beat him to the punch, "We were on a mission to retrieve supplies and somehow there was a lockdown or something and the doors started to seal. Alec got the rest of us out but he was locked in and there was this yellow gas that came in through the vents. I broke through a window in the door and the gas went back into the vents. He claims he's fine but you know Alec."

Ty nodded with a grim smile jotted down some notes, "Any symptoms?"

"He was coughing but once they gas was gone that stopped. He seems kind of pale and was unsteady on his feet but I assumed that was from oxygen deprivation."

Ty jotted a few more things, "Can you tell me anything else about the gas? The scent? Density?"

Max looked over to Alec and he raised up to dirty blonde eyebrows, "Oh I get to talk now?"

All that earned him was a glare so he continued, "It didn't really feel like anything or smell like anything. I guess it was a little grainy when it got in my mouth."

Ty nodded before moving her stethoscope to her ears. "Remove your jacket." She moved beside him and moved the cold metal under his tee shirt. "Breathe in, breathe out, again." She moved her stethoscope away and moved her penlight to his eyes, "follow the light for me."

"I know the routine Doc." Alec ginned squinting for a moment at the bright light. "Is that a new light? It seems brighter than usual?" He mumbled around the thermometer in his mouth.

Ty frowned for a moment and wrote something down in her notepad, "Nope same old light. Well, I can't find anything to keep you here. I recommend you go home and rest for at least tonight and tomorrow. Your looking kind of rough around the edges."

"First of all, it's because of my ruggedly handsome good looks. Second of all, told you Maxie." Alec replied in a sing songy voice before straightening up and pulling his leather jacket up over his shoulders, "Well, I am going home to get the sleep I deserve."

Max started to leave behind Alec but Ty pulled her back. "Max, wait."

"What is it Ty?" Max questioned worriedly, "Is Alec okay?"

"Yeah I think he's fine just, keep an eye on him. I'll bet it's nothing but…" Ty drawled off.

"But What?"

"Just the sensitivity to light and the strange gas, I'm probably just being paranoid but just promise you'll keep an eye on him."

"I always do Ty." Max smiled before leaving the infirmary and an at ease Ty. But Max was far from at ease.


	4. Chapter 4

Alec's first coherent thought as he awoke was 'I don't remember hitting my head with a sledge hammer.' He sat up slowly as the room began to swim and his head pounded on all sides. Rolling his shoulders slowly backward he tried to remove the crick from his neck but it seemed firmly implanted. 'I need to stop sleeping at weird angles.' He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, having to blink for a moment as his vision swam before his eyes. He pulled the shirt away from his sweaty body, grimacing before taking the fabric all the way off and moving on auto pilot to the shower.

After a shower which used all of his hot water Alec stepped out and dried off, wrapping a towel around his waist before looking in the mirror. 'Okay, not going to win any beauty pageants today.' Even he had to admit he looked haggard. His face was no longer sticky with sweat but there was still a faint flush of fever over his cheeks and dark circles under his eyes. He splashed some cold water on his face which helped with the red tinge on his high cheekbones but there was no helping those dark circles.

He left the bathroom and grabbed a pair of boxers from his drawer before rummaging through a pile for jeans and a black tee shirt. He moved slowly around the apartment before heading towards the kitchen. He decided against food when the smell of the left over pizza in the fridge threatened to bring up things he ate in years ago and instead grabbed a mug of black coffee. Sitting on the couch and sipping coffee lasted for about 15minutes before he was bored out of his mind and headed for the HQ. His fingers hesitated over his leather jacket for a moment as he thought about the heat beginning to boil up in his body but knew Max would notice and then worry if he forgo'd it, so the jacket won and he pulled it up over his shoulders before leaving.

Max was not happy when she saw Alec enter the HQ. She leaned over the railing to take a closer look and was about to show him her upset when she saw how he looked. His face was flushed and sweat was already beading on his upper lip even though his hair was still wet from a shower. She furrowed her brow as she watched how he seemed to sway slightly, almost as if he was trying to keep from keeling over. So she did what she did best, walked over and confronted him.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Max questioned still marching across the room towards him. He swiveled his head slowly in her direction before brightening his face with a crooked smile.

"I'm here to work Maxie."

"No, you are going back to your apartment and you are going to rest." Max exclaimed back taking his shoulders and starting to herd him back to the entrance.

"But Maxie, I'm so bored at my apartment."

"Alec you heard what Ty said, at least today resting." She insisted pressing harder on his torso to try and move his legs towards the doors. She was stopped though by a wide puppy eyed look, "Alec don't give me that look."

This only brought him to move his face down and look up through his lashes with, honest to god, watery hazel eyes. He slowly puckered his lower lip until it almost jutted slightly out. Max turned her head, trying to look away, but he looked so much like a kicked puppy that she couldn't. "Fine, how about this, I will go with you and keep you company."

"Max I would get punched less if we got in fight with a 100 familiars."

"Shut up!" Her fist clenched but she forced it to remain at her side just to prove him wrong. "Alec, you look like you haven't slept in a month. Not to mention how it looks like you got a third degree sunburn on your face."

"I don't understand that, you say not to mention, yet you mention it." Alec argued but allowed Max to shepherd him all the way back to his apartment. Max let herself in taking Alec's key from his pocket and kept pushing him until he was sitting on the couch. She handed Alec the remote before moving over into the kitchen a pouring a glass of water.

"Have you eaten?" She called over to the couch as she opened the fridge.

"Nah I wasn't really hungry." He called back stretching his arms over the back of the sofa and wincing at the stiffness that had accumulated there.

"What cold pizza wasn't appealing?"

"Ha you're hilarious, I wouldn't have even tried to go to work if I had known I would have been so entertained with your comedy."

"It's what I'm here for." Max replied cheekily before setting the glass down on the side table, "Do you want anything to eat now?"

"I'm good." His was too quick though so Max reached out to place her hand on his forehead, disturbed by the heat emanating from it.

"How do you feel?"

"Ah Maxie I didn't know you cared!" He bit out cheekily, pulling his head away from her touch, "I'm fine, just tired."

"Then sleep."

"Really? Well Max with all of those brains you could solve all the problems of the world."

"Shut up!" Max snapped pushing him back onto the cushions before moving down to remove his shoes. He shrugged out of his jacket while she lifted his legs onto the rest of the couch. His eyes were already drooping closed and before she realized she was doing it Max was gently stroking his hair. She sat on the edge of the cushion beside his hip and brushed his hair from his sweaty forehead. As his breath evened out she went to stand but a grip around her wrist stopped her mid step.

"Don't go Maxie." He murmured sleepily, his lips barely moving with the words. Max sat back down beside him taking his hand from her wrist and wrapping her smaller hand around it.

"I won't go anywhere." Max replied softly laying her head against his chest and wrapping his arm around her torso, "I'm staying right here.


	5. Chapter 5

She felt so safe and secure. She wanted to lie right there in that warmth forever. Where was she? Max opened her eyes and craned her neck upward to see beautiful hazel eyes. Alec's beautiful hazel eyes. Alec's awake beautiful hazel eyes, and she was lying on his chest. Awkward.

"So, do you often stare at people while they sleep?" Max questioned pulling herself up into a sitting position and running her fingers through her hair.

"Depends, do you often fall asleep on random men?" Alec quipped with a suggestive smirk.

Max swallowed thickly struggling for a new topic, "How do you feel?"

"Much better actually, I guess you are quite the nurse. I mean you do have a wonderful bedside manner." Max ignored the last part of his statement and eyed him with a critical eye. He did look better. His dark circles were pretty much gone and so was the flush of fever.

"I have a press conference in front of TC later, I need back up just in case. You up for it?"

"Yeah sure, why not?" Alec grinned before sitting up and unwrapping his arm from her, "Why didn't I know about this earlier?"

"It was sort of a quick decision yesterday, and you weren't in the office yesterday." Alec nodded in understanding, standing to walk to the bathroom. Max headed towards the door but Alec's voice stopped her.

"Why didn't you leave?" He called looking her right in the eye. 'Did he not remember asking her to stay?'

"You needed me." She answered carefully hand already on the doorknob. He looked away and opened the bathroom door. As she opened the door outside she heard his voice call softly behind her,

"Thanks."

**DarkAngel**

"Wow, that is a lot of cameras." Max wondered aloud as they headed towards the gates, Alec to her right.

"Never thought of you as someone to have stage fright?" He teased, but moved closer beside her in a comforting gesture.

"I'm not." She snapped, "Just an observation."

Alec leaned down beside her ear to were only she could hear before breathing out, "You'll be fine Maxie. You're the best public speaker I know and that's saying something, I have met politicians. Most of them are dead now, but it still counts."

Max nodded trying to giggle as they got to her platform. Max climbed the wooden steps with and came to stand less than 5 feet from her. "I got your back Maxie." With that Max took a confident breathe and began to speak.

As Alec listened to Max talk to the press he was awed. She had such a way with words, a way that touched people that otherwise wouldn't be touched. He had to blink for a moment as the world became unfocused but it snapped back into view after a moment. Suddenly sweat was dripping down his neck and into the depths of his suit jacket. 'Was it always this hot out here?'

He cracked his neck but otherwise showed no discomfort, he had to protect Max. He tried to focus on Max but she kept moving, well at least he thought she was moving, but how was she moving the podium with her? And she wasn't moving her feet? 'Am I moving?'

Sweat was now beginning to drip from his forehead and stung his eyes. His whole body seemed to sweating, except his throat, which was becoming exceedingly dry. He tried to clear his throat silently but that only brought the urge to cough. He tried swallowing but the tickle in his throat was getting worse, it almost felt like liquid. His vision was now swimming because he was sure the stage wasn't moving upside down. 'Just stay focused on Max, just focus on Max, just…I'm going down'

Max was in the middle of an answer to a press question when she heard Alec clear his throat. She was starting to ignore it when she caught his reflection in a television camera. Was he swaying? She turned just in time to see his knees give out. She dove forward and had just enough time to catch his upper body before he hit the wood. He was blinking up at her but couldn't seem to focus on her.

"Alec, talk to me? What's wrong?" He opened his mouth but only a brutal cough came out. Max almost screamed as she saw the red that came with that cough. Alec was coughing up blood.

He was trying to focus on Max's face, trying to focus on what she was saying, but all he could hear was a loud buzzing. He tried to make a noise but could only let out a deep chest rattling cough. He could just barely see Max's eyes widen and begin to water. 'Don't cry Maxie, I'm alright.'

He could just make out the blurry shapes of the transgenic med bay racing towards them and the flash of cameras. The press really are vultures. He tried to breathe in but something wet was blocking his throat. He coughed deep down again trying to get out his words.

Max could just barely make out what Alec was telling her as more blood spilt over his lips, "Don't leave Maxie."

"I'm right here Alec, I'm right here. It's your turn to stay." Max cried out pulling him closer to her chest as Meds arrived, "Just stay with me."


	6. Chapter 6

"I'll be fine Maxie! It's just a virus or something…" Alec whined as Max buzzed around his hospital bed, constantly checking his chart and fluffing his pillow. At first he found it sweet, but that wore off quick.

"Just a virus! Just a virus! You were coughing up blood Alec!" Max screeched throwing her hands up high in the air before letting them fall to her sides before muttering aggravatingly, "I'll be fine he says, just a bug he says, or something he says…"

"Max," He called meekly reaching out to wrap his fingers around her arm, "It's going to be okay."

"No it isn't!" tears were now welling in her eyes and starting to drip over on to her cheeks. Alec could see as she started to break and pulled her down until her head was resting on his chest. His hospital gown was soaked through with tears before Max spoke again, "I thought I had lost you."

"Max…"

"I thought you were dying, right there in the middle of that press conference, in the middle of that stage."

"But…"

"I was begging you to just stay! I just want you to stay…"

"Max." Alec snapped forcefully, lifting her chin with a gentle touch until she was looking him in the eye. Slowly he moved her palm over his heart and pressed it down beneath his own larger hand, "I'm right here."

They stared into each other for a moment, inching closer and closer until their lips were almost brushing. Max moved upward on Alec's chest until her whole torso was pressed to his and her legs were tangled against his in the narrow bed. She licked her lips in anticipation as their breath mingled and their noses brushed. She stared down at his plush lips as they parted and…

"Oh! I'm sorry am I interrupting something?" A young doe eyed nurse questioned as she entered the room turning a bright crimson.

Max jumped back so quick she nearly fell off the bed, "Uh No! Of course not… what do you need?"

"I just wanted to check his vitals real fast. You can wait in the hallway if you like or…"

"Or you can go home and eat some food, and get some sleep that you claim you don't need." Alec interrupted struggling to sit up.

"I don't need sleep!" Max argued keeping a hand intertwined with his.

"That's not what the dark circles under your eyes say!" He quipped using his free hand to point mockingly at her face to were dark half-moons were starting to accumulate under her brown eyes.

"Fine, I will go and get some 'sleep', but you have to promise not to lie to the nurse when she asks how you feel. Deal?" She questioned removing her hand from his and brushing a stray hair from his face. Alec seemed to take a moment to mull it over before nodding his approval, "Then I will come by to see you tomorrow."

With that Max turned and left easily side stepping the transgenic nurse in her path, "If you lie to her, I will know. And then I will kick your ass."

"I don't doubt it Maxie." Alec called after her before turning his wide grin on the blonde before him, "So, what do you want to know?"

**DarkAngel**

"Mole, get me a conference with Logan, tell him it's an emergency. Dix, get me a video of the press conference this morning. Gem, did the tryptophan get distributed to everyone who needed it?" Max ordered out as she strolled into HQ. 'This is just a quick stop, then I will go home and sleep like I told Alec.'

Mole was the first to reply, "How's pretty boy doing?"

"We don't know anything yet, but he is conscious and stable so we have high hopes." Mole simply nodded and headed towards the conference room leaving a trail of cigar smoke wafting in his wake.

"Everything is good on tryptophan Max." Gem replied before giving a sad smile in her direction before looking back down to her baby. Max stood still for a moment, just taking in the bustle around her, and trying to keep her mind clear. She just needed a moment of not thinking, she needed a moment to just believe that everything was alright, because as soon as she had to think again she knew what it would be about. The moment to herself didn't last long though.

"Max I have the video on the screen in your office." Dix called from her office doorway. Max started in that direction but was stopped by Dix's voice, "Are you sure you need to see this?"

"Well I don't know Dix. Let's see Alec has ingested some yellow gas and we have no clue what it is, but it's killing him. How do we know it's killing him? Well I sort of figured it out when I was sitting by his hospital bed and begging him to wake up. When did you figure it out Dix? When came into the office swaying and sweaty? Or maybe it was when he passed out of stage in the middle of a press conference? Come to think of it, it was probably when he started coughing up blood. Is that when Dix? Is that when you figured out he was dying? Or have you still not figured it out? Cause if you had figured out that our 2IC, our Alec, is dying then you wouldn't be asking me the stupid question if I need to see that video!" Max yelled, letting all of her anger and frustration poor out all in one bout. She knew she had gone too far by the look of Dix's face but she just couldn't stop once she had started. She just hurt so bad and she needed to get some of it out.

Dix swallowed thickly and moved out of the doorway, "Just press the space bar."

Max watched as he fled, but she didn't reach out to stop him. She just moved with purposeful steps into her office and closed the door. She didn't even make it to her desk before she dissolved into tears.


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: this chapter is a little depressing but there is hope at the end**

"Do you have any new information?" Max questioned Logan in monotone, barely looking at the man on the screen. It had been two weeks since Alec had gone down on that stage. One week since they had allowed him to leave the hospital because there was nothing more they could do and he would be more comfortable at home. That's what it was about now, making him comfortable.

"Listen Max…" Logan began drawing Max from her inner turmoil.

"Just answer the question Logan." She replied not wanting to deal with anything else. She didn't need comforting words and she didn't want them, she just wanted Alec. She just needed Alec.

"Well no but…"

"Then I don't need to hear it Logan. Call me when you have something." He didn't get to reply before Max exited the screen and went back to the video of the press conference. She had watched it so many times she probably had it memorized but at least it made her feel like she was doing something.

{[This is Isabelle Ann with the breaking news. Recently at a press conference in front of Terminal City the 2IC, other known as Alec, seems to have fallen ill. In the middle of Q and A with the appointed leader 'Max', He collapsed and was rushed away back into the walls of Terminal City, there has been no notice since. Here is the footage now_…( Alec is in the background at first but as the camera focuses on him as he starts to sway. After a jolty motion he begins to go down and Max is seen diving for him. They are soon covered by the podium and a crowd of Meds which within a few minutes move them inside the walls of Terminal City. The crowd continues to be a flurry of activity.)…_ What you don't see in that footage is the interaction which happened between 'Max' and 'Alec'. An eyewitness claims they seemed much more than just co leaders as they report that "Max would not let him go and begged him not to leave her". Either their politics are much more emotional than ours or these two seem to be more than IC and 2IC. Of course none of this has been confirmed or denied. This was Isabelle Ann with…]}

Max didn't need to hear the rest. She stood slowly to avoid the dizziness that now usually accompanied quick movements since she decided to forgo sleep all together. She moved calmly out of the office and made sure her Manticore mask was firmly in place before moving out into the brightly lit HQ. The conservation always dwindled when she entered but it didn't bother her anymore. She was tired of telling people not to tippy toe around her.

**DarkAngel**

"Alec! I'm back!" Max called out as she entered the threshold of the small apartment that had once belonged to Alec alone. She had refused to let him live alone once he was released from the hospital and he had refused to sharing his apartment with some random nut job so they had compromised.

"Hey Maxie." He called back in a far too weak and hoarse voice as he exited the bedroom. Max gaze him a once over and almost let out another sob. His clothes were baggy and ill-fitting due to the fact that he couldn't keep much down, not that he had an appetite at all. Even his face had thinned out, his cheekbones sharper, and eyes sunken. He was wearing a belt but kept tugging his jeans upward as he walked the ways to the couch and collapsed. From the bedroom to the couch. That's as far as he could get without being exhausted. "So, how is HQ?"

"Having a party." She teased, happy just to get a small twist of the lips from him.

"You wound me." He taunted back, but it didn't have the same feeling it usually did.

"How are you feeling?" It was stupid question, but she asked it every day. She even knew what the answer would be…

"Peachy Maxie." But he wasn't, and she knew it, but she liked to hear it anyways. "Did Logan have anything usefull?"

"No." She answered simply, walking over to the couch and collapsing down next to him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and she set her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "We'll find something."

"I know, I trust you guys." Alec replied instantly, 'I trust you'.

Max looked up at him from her spot and, even though he was still warm from bed, his eyes were already drooping. That was what killed her. Not the dark circles, or the weight loss, but his eyes. They had lost their spark. Sure he still smirked and tried to joke but it never reached his eyes. No his eyes were always tired and pained, except when they looked at her. Then there was something else that flickered in them just for a moment. That's why she wouldn't give up trying to save him, that's why she knew he wouldn't give up to.


	8. Chapter 8

_Knock knock knock_

That was the sound that woke Max from her first comfortable sleep in 2 weeks. She sat up slowly to keep from awaking Alec and rose up off the couch. As she stumbled towards the doorway she grappled with her clothes which had rumbled with the sleep and ran her fingers through her messy curls.

"This better be… Mole? What are you doing here?" Max questioned as she opened the door to reveal the puffing away lizard transgenic.

"There's a call in HQ." He announced quietly, not even making a dig at her rumpled state.

"Who? What do they want?" Max griped, checking over shoulder to peer at a still fast asleep Alec. That was the only time he looked close to peaceful. When he was asleep she could still imagine him with that cocky grin and smart aleck comments. His was too quiet now, too reserved, she almost wished that she hadn't griped at him so much for all his teasing. Almost.

"It's White. He says he can help Alec." Well that pulled her from her thoughts. Just as the sentence left his lips Max had already pushed him out of the threshold and shut the door near silently behind her.

"Max." She heard the sleepy call muffled through the wood, 'crap'. She swiveled around and poked her head back through into the dimly lit apartment to lay her eyes upon a foggy Alec. His hair stuck up in all directions and he looked like a little lost boy, except for the dark circles hollowed cheeks.

"Don't worry Alec, I'm just going to the office." She called in softly.

"You need some help?" His almost lit up with that, but he made no move to get up.

"No don't worry about, I'll be back." She called beginning to move back out onto the balcony.

"Okay Maxie."

"And Alec…" She informed second thought, waiting to make sure he was awake.

"Yeah?" He wondered eyelids already half-mast.

"Don't give up hope yet."

"Never thought about it." He smiled slumping into the cushions of the couch and letting his eyes seal the rest of the way. Max pulled out of the room the rest of the way and closed the door near silently.

**DarkAngel**

"Everyone Quiet!" Max ordered moving around her desk and picking up the phone. For a moment she just breathed, tidying her thoughts in her mind before readying to take on a new task. "This is Max."

"Aw 452, I have a proposition for you." The cold voice filtered through the receiver, it made Max's blood run cold and her heart clench.

"And what would that be?" Her voice was strangely calm for the situation.

"I saw on the news that 494 has fallen ill…"

"Did you do this to him?" The calm dissipated with the mention of Alec, and now her heart thrummed in her chest and she could practically feel her cheeks reddening with rage.

"I haven't the slightest clue what you mean," White drawled out coolly his words dripping with insincere, "But I just happened to have a cure."

"I'm guessing this cure isn't free." Max spat back, her knuckles turning white around the phone.

"Well that would be bad business, but the price is reasonable." White informed nonchalantly, she could practically see him making hand gestures.

"Oh yeah, and what is this 'reasonable' price?" Max questioned, leaning forward against the desk until the wooden edge dug into her thighs.

"I want you 452." Max's heart sped up, she couldn't say she was shocked by the proposition White had claimed but the reality was still breathe taking. Her freedom for Alec's life. She would have said yes if it were only her on the line but who knows what White would make her do. And how could she leave Terminal City without a leader? There had to be another way to save Alec.

"You caused this! You think you're going to hurt my Alec like this and get a profit? I'm going to find you White, and this time I will kill you."

"Your Alec? Is 452 in love? You'll call back 452, and you will be begging for my earlier deal."

"Screw you, White!" She screamed, slamming the phone back into its holder and barging out of the office onto the crowded HQ floor. "Find me that cure now!"

Every transgenic within ear shot scattered even if they had to no task. Max blurred from the confined space and raced across the streets until she reached her apartment. Or his apartment. Maybe it was their apartment. She stood in front of the door for a few moments, breathing hard and holding back sobs. She had to be strong. Alec was the one hurting right now and he needed support not some whimpering, sniveling, puddle of a transgenic. She had to be strong…She had to be strong… She mantra'd in her head as she reached for the scuffed metal doorknob. She had reached the tenth "she had to be strong" before she broke down. Her heart seized in her chest and tears slipped over her bottom eyelids and salty tracks started streaking down her cheeks. The first sob was the most difficult to let go, but once it broke the surface, the stream of cries were without break.

Distantly she felt two arms wrap around her and pull into the darkness of the apartment. She buried her face in cotton covered chest and sobbed even louder. She could feel sharp collarbones against her cheekbones and ribs pressed individually into her chest.

"Shh… Maxie what's wrong?" A hoarse voice called softly as a chin nestled into her hair.

"I…It's N…Nothing…" She stuttered wiping the hot tears from her face with frantic hands. Alec pulled away from her, keeping his hands wrapped around her shoulders, and peered down at her with worried hazel eyes.

"This is not nothing Max. Nothing, doesn't make you cry."

"I'm just scared."

"The great Max! Scared! We've been surrounded by police and familiars with a baby on the way and a building full of hostages! You weren't scared then!"

"This is different! This I can't fight."

"What is it?"

"It's you Alec! It's this… sickness that is killing you."

"Max, it's not killing me…"

"Yes it is! Alec, look at yourself, you're wasting away. You can't even make it out of the apartment without being out of breathe. I'm losing you, and it hurts more than I thought it could."

Alec stared at her wide eyed for a moment, pressing his full lips into a thin line, "I know it's killing me, but that doesn't mean I want to believe it. I know that I'm dying Max, but that's not what scares me."

"What scares you?"

Alec opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. Instead his chest seized and his heart thrummed painfully within the confines of his chest. His breathe was coming shorter, wheezing in and out, as if there were a hole in his lung that leaked more of that precious oxygen with each inhale.

"Alec? Are you okay?" Max blundered worriedly as the color drained from his features until all that was left was ashen and translucent. She pressed her palm against his brow and cringed at the dry heat, "Alec?"

He wanted answer her, he really did. He could see the worry that swam through her dark eyes and he would do anything to just ease her mind with his little white lies, but he couldn't even breathe. He could hear Max's voice calling to him, and see her lips moving around his name, but it was all foggy. As if he was underwater, maybe that's why he couldn't breathe. The world began to tilt on his axis and in slow motion he saw Max turn more frantic. He blinked slowly and suddenly he was lying on the scratchy carpet with a freaked out Max hovering above him. His throat contracted repeatedly in a desperate attempt at words before he finally choked out his words. "I'm scared of what's coming. I'm scared that I'm going to end up living off machines and that you'll waste your life away sitting there at my bedside. Now, I'm scared I'll never get to tell you how I feel about you."

For a moment time stilled and Alec was allowed clarity to just stare up at Max, his dark angel. Tears were dripping from her nose and chin, her hair tumbled in waves down towards him, and she looked absolutely perfect. "I love you Max."

Then he fell into darkness.


	9. Chapter 9

Hospitals are depressing, Max decided, the blank walls and starched bed, even the smell of antiseptic that wafts through its walls all scream depression. Maybe that's why everybody here ends up so sad, she looked over to Alec on the bed, or there were other reasons.

'_I love you Max.'_

His voice kept running through her head and it was driving her insane. Not because she was upset by the words, no it was quite the opposite, she was upset because she didn't get to say it back.

'_I love you Max.'_

Over and over in her head and she could never just say it back. No, he had to get in his last words and pass out, that jerk.

'_I love you Max.'_

"Yeah well I love you too you butthole, and you need to wake up so I can beat you for not letting me tell you that."

'_I love you Max.'_

"Max." A voice called behind her in the doorway. She wheeled around, a blush spilling over her cheeks at how embarrassing her conversation with herself must have seemed. The doctor in the doorway was young, like all of them, but seemed older due to the posture he wore and the stress graying the hair at his temples. He swallowed and glanced to his chart but he already knew what was there, just not how to say it.

"Yes?" Max questioned, sitting up straighter in her chair and unconsciously reaching a hand out and grasping Alec's limp hand. The doctor noticed the gesture and wished he could be swallowed back into the bustling hallway behind him but he knew he couldn't. He needed to tell her what was happening, she deserved that much.

"We have received test results." He answered, glancing back to his memorized clipboard. Max nodded pressing her lips into a thin line. "We are still unsure as to the drug but we believe that we understand its effects now."

Her grip tightened on Alec's hand as she readied herself for news, good or bad. She waited patiently as the doctor struggled for words, each moment causing her heart to hammer harder in her chest. After what seemed like an hour the doctor looked her in the eye and she gulped thickly at the sadness in his eyes. He continued, "The drug is attacking his organs. The vomiting of blood and weight loss is due to the stomach rebelling, his lungs have almost given up and by the end of the night he will most likely be on a ventilator. If the poison continues on the track it is on his heart will be next."

"How long?" Max interrupted quietly staring intently at her and Alec's hands.

"Excuse me?" He questioned, taken aback by the abrupt and painful question.

"How long?" She repeated harshly moving her gaze to the doctor's shoes but struggling to raise them higher. She heard the doctor's intake of breathe as he searched for an answer.

"At best 9 days…but in my opinion I believe he would lucky to last 4." He told her gently.

"Is there nothing you can do?"

The doctor scrunched his eyebrows and gaped his mouth ready to answer something like make him comfortable, but that's not what she meant and he knew it, so he simply shook his head. Her easy acceptance was both a relief and heartache so with a lost nod he turned on his heels and left the room.

'_I love you Max.'_

"I'm going to fix this Alec; I am going to save you. You are going to wake up and grin that stupid grin and I am going to tell you how much I love you. Because I do you know, love you, I have for a while now. Maybe if I told you before… No, I'm not going to think about what ifs, I'm just going to fix now."

With that she exited the small hospital room and headed back to the command center. Upon her arrival the gossip quitted, but she didn't think much of it, she just kept walking. She was a woman on a mission and nobody tried to block her path. She didn't even breathe until she had entered her office and closed the door behind her. She picked up the phone and pressed in the number before waiting as it rang.

"Hello 452, I knew you'd get back to me."

"Hi White."

'_I love you Max'_


	10. Chapter 10

**I do not own Dark Angel or its characters if I did it would not have ended.**

Her breaths were slow and even across the phone line and did nothing to convey her panic. She knew what she was doing at what it meant but she didn't really have a choice, not really. The choices set before her were go into White's clutches and be caged, poked, tested, and prodded, or watch the man she loved slowly waste away. So no, she didn't have a choice because no amount of Whites torture could hurt her any more than she was hurting right now.

God, why did Alec have to make her fall for him? Why did he have to be so annoying, charming, solid, and sweet? Why couldn't he have just left her with her first opinion about him? That he was a selfish, cocky, asshole transgenic? If she still thought that then she wouldn't be in complete agony and he wouldn't be dying. But if he had left her with that… she wouldn't have learned to feel this way again. She had loved Logan. She had enjoyed his company and had needed him in her life but not the way she needed Alec. She had never been in love with Logan. Logan was practical and calculating, but Alec was mischievous and 'fly by the seat of his pants.' She needed Alec in a way she never needed Logan, in a way she had never needed anyone, and it scared her. But it scared her more to think about him being gone.

She had never noticed the feelings and emotions Alec cause until she could feel them slipping away, draining out of her body and into the cold, hard ground that Alec seemed destined for. It's like this… before Alec she had thought she was whole. Then she slowly fell into a daze with him, and never realized how much she had come to rely on him. On his cocky smiles and snarky comebacks, on his sparkling eyes and reassuring hugs, on all of his annoying habits that made her crazy, because in everything he did, he made her feel like she had never felt before. She had thought she was whole, but only because she didn't ever really know the feeling of whole. And now that she had that feeling, she couldn't go back.

"Well 452, I told you that you would come back begging. I am only surprised it took you this long." The cruel voice on the other end of the phone drawled, causing Max to cringe at her own inability to follow through. But this was for Alec, it was worth it. "Did you go and have a heart to heart with 494? Cry at his bedside?"

"You don't know anything!" She snapped tangling her fingers into her curls and scrunching up her eyes so she could focus on the conversation. "You…you call us monsters, sub human, but you're the real monster White. You and all of your Manticore Goons! Because at least we monstrous creations have souls and feelings, you I'm not so sure."

"Oh you flatter me so 452, but sweet talking isn't going to save your boy toy."

"You can have me White, you can do whatever you want to me, just give the cure to Alec."

"Now 452, why would you think that a deal like that would still be on the table?" Max's heart took an unsteady thud in her chest and her eyes popped open.

"But you said…" She stuttered out, unusually at a loss for words.

"I know what I said 452, said is the primary word, past tense 452. What I am saying now is I want something more."

"We had a deal! You said you would give him the cure if I came to you!" She yelled frantically, even with her eyes open all she saw was Alec. Alec smiling, Alec laughing, Alec crying, Alec saying he loved her, Alec dying… She took a steadying breathe and pictured Alec's bright green eyes staring into hers. His eyes back when they were full of life and mischief. His eyes had held that same spark when he said he loved her. She loved him too, she needed the chance to tell him that. "Wha…whats the new deal White?"

"How much are you really willing to give up for this thing 452?"

"His name is Alec." Max bit her lip in an attempt to keep from objecting further. "I love him alright! Is that what you want to hear White? That you were right? That I would do anything to get him back? What do you want White?"

"I want you both. After all I can't exactly do the required testing with only one transgenic. How am I supposed to keep you in line that way?"

"What? Why would I do all of this to save him and then bring him to you?"

"You don't have a choice 452, not if you want to keep him alive."

"You won't keep him alive White, I would just have to watch him die all over again."

"I give you my word 452, I would not kill him."

"What you do is worse than death!"

"It's your decision 452, I do believe that 494 does not have much time left though, so you choose quickly."

"I'm not giving him to you."

"Then you give him to his grave." He snapped without pause. His voice was filled with malice but hurtfully calm. Max moved the phone from her ear and stared at her lap, she distantly heard White over the distance between her ear and the phone, "Think about it 452."

Click

She could feel herself set that phone on the receiver but had no control over it. In a daze she stood and left her office. She pushed past the transgenics in her way as she moved towards the infirmary. The individuals in her way seemed to part as they saw her. As she got to Alec's room she raised her head for the first time since she put the phone down and stared into the plain room.

He looked peaceful now. She might have believed he was sleeping if it weren't for all of the machines keeping him alive. "I don't want to lose you."

'But are you selfish enough to keep him?' A small voice nagged in the back of her mind. Could she give up his freedom just so she could keep him with her? Did she have that right?

**Authors note: I admit I am a little at a crossroads and I really need some help deciding what to do next. Should Max let Alec go or give them both over to White? What do you think? Please put your opinion in the review box. If she does let him go I can't tell you if he will actually die or not, so don't base what you think off that. Thank you!**

**Supernaturalloverja**


	11. Chapter 11

**I do not own Dark Angel or its characters if I did it would not have ended.**

**Supernaturalloverja**

She had been pacing the hallway outside of Alec's room for over an hour, so far she had gotten nowhere. Through the thin wooden door she could hear the gentle beep of the heart monitor and the whoosh of the ventilator, she couldn't decide if the sound was more reassuring or heartbreaking. She came at a standstill and peered through the small block window.

They say that people look peaceful in comas. Alec didn't look peaceful. There was a fine sheen of sweat glistening over all of his visible skin and his eyes moved restlessly under there lids. There were permanent lines of pain spreading out from his eyes and drawn across his forehead, even though he shouldn't be able to feel anything. Max pushed the room's door open and stepped across the floor slowly. She pulled up lime green plastic chair and plopped down beside the hospital bed, taking Alec's hand in hers. His hand was limp and far too cold for comfort.

'_I love you Max.' _

"I love you too Alec." Max answered quietly as tears began spill over her bottom eyelids, "God I love you so much."

It had to be cruel joke somehow. The fact that Alec had finally admitted his feelings and Max had realized the feelings were mutual. The fact that everything had fallen into place perfectly except for Alec's sickness. Yeah, this had to be a cruel joke.

"Is it worth it? For us both to go to White? I know that it would have been worth it for me to go but that was my decision." She babbled to herself knowing that she would get no answer.

Beep beep beep beep beep

"I just got you Alec."

Beep beep beep beep

"How am I supposed to let you go?"

Beep beep beep

"I need you."

Beep beep

"But I love you enough to let you go."

Beep…..

**I know it is short and I'm sorry but I really just wanted to focus on Max's decision for this chapter. Thank you for the reviews and I will try to update soon.**

**Supernaturallloverja **


	12. Chapter 12

**I do not own Dark Angel or its characters if I did it would not have ended.**

Max stood solid amidst the mayhem as doctors and nurses rushed in around her and started to work on Alec's still form. She allowed herself to be pushed aside so they could work and continued to stare blandly. There were tear tracks along her cheeks but no new tears leaked out of her red rimmed eyes and she watched on. A nurse ripped down Alec's night gown and removed the material from the expanse of his chest before placing pads on it as another nurse rolled up the defibrillator.

"Charging 100." The doctor in the middle called, holding the paddles steady above Alec's bare chest, "Clear."

In a sudden jolt of motion everybody pulled back away from the hospital bed as the electrically charged paddles slammed down onto Alec's chest and he spasmed upward. There was a short break in the screech of the heart monitor before it continued and the staff jumped back into motion.

"Charging 150." The same doctor called again, rubbing the paddles together, his brow creasing in concentration, "Clear."

As the paddles fell again to Alec's flesh he arced upward, his head falling back and torso pulling up with the electricity, but still the heart monitor screamed. Max spared a glance from Alec to look at the doctor above him. He was older than them by at least a decade, his hair was graying at the temples and he had laugh lines spreading from the corners of his eyes. From the look on his face right now she doubted he actually accumulated those from laughing. She wondered if he was one of those doctors that actually connected to his patients, or if he saw them as slabs of diseased meat.

"Charging 200." His voice was calm but demanding, there was almost a desperation hidden in it, he must be the kind that connects with his patients, "Clear."

Alec arced again, this time even higher, but still the heart monitor yelled its disdain. The nurse on Alec's left had tears welling in her eyes. She must be new. What if Alec was the first patient she ever lost? What if he was the first patient she ever saved? At least he would be remember that way. Alec had always been remembered some way by everybody he met, even if he was unconscious.

"Charging 250." Max could tell this was there last try by the doctors voice and the way he flickered his glace to Alec's face. Yeah, he connected to his patients. Max wasn't sure if she should be grateful or feel sorry for him. "Clear."

In a last effort he pressed the paddles once more to Alec's chest and there was a moment of collective silence among the staff as electricity charged through Alec's heart once more. The screech wavered for a moment before it returned and the sea of nurses parted. Max strode forward slowly before taking Alec's cool hand and letting a tear roll over her cheek and splatter on their adjoined hands.

"Alec, I know you probably can't hear me, but if you can I just have one more thing to say. You don't have to be scared for me and I am not going to keep you alive by mechanics but if you…if you give some time I will fix this. What I mean is…you can let go now but… but if there's a chance you're coming back…as you… please don't." She whispered, barely even loud enough for her hear, before releasing his hand and turning on her heals to walk away.

Beep beep beep

Max turned back slowly, almost afraid her ears were playing tricks, but they weren't. The steady rhythm of Alec's heart continued and Max strove forward once again, leaning down by his ear. "Thank you."

Alec was holding on for her and she was going to do everything in her power to make sure that that wasn't for nothing. She was going to get the cure, even if she had to take it herself.


	13. Chapter 13

**I am so sorry it has taken me so very long and I wish I could promise better but I really can't. I have just been so busy with school and plays, I will try to update more often but... just sorry my loyal readers.**

**~supernaturalloverja**

She should have figured it would end where it started, at the abandoned hospital. Everything appeared the same as the first time they were here, except now she knew what was inside. White and the cure. The cure that would save Alec, and White that would do anything to keep that from happening. She scanned the area for cameras and found one perched on the front left corner of the building. How had she missed that the first time?

'_No, that doesn't matter now.' _She muttered before making a large loop to the right side of the concrete building. There were bars across the all of the windows, crap. She looked across all the windows, seeking an imperfections in the steel making lines over them. She spotted one, on the second story on the third window the grating was coming loose. Max pounced up and perched on the first story railing before taking hold of the bars above her head. The steel creaked beneath her weight as the screws holding it in place began to pull from the plaster. With all her strength she yanked down and jumped at the same time, landing steadily on the bare window sill and holding the metal grating in her fingertips. Then she lowered the metal slowly, trying to make it fall close to silently before wrenching open the window and slipping inside.

She walked across the floor on the balls of her feet as the floorboards threatened to groan. She poked her head from the doorway before slipping into the hallway and walking towards the stairs. She could see the stairs at the end of the corridor but was forced to stop her pursuit as she heard the distinct sound of boots marching the floor. She dropped low in a crouch and swiveled on her feet looking in every direction. They weren't in her hallway, not yet.

In the blink of a human eye Max blurred to the stair way and pressed her back against the wall next the doorway. The sound of clomping boots grew louder until they were right outside the staircase. Max held her breath as the sound reached its peak and receded away. She allowed her body to ease its tension slightly before darting up the concrete stairs. She checked the hallway before her once again before slipping out into the open and blurring down the corridor, looking into every room. Empty, empty, empty, rusty gurney, mold, empty…. Then she came to room that was different. There was a doorknob where the rust had been scraped away from its screws. With a quick check to make sure it was lacking any life inside she eased the door open and moved carefully inside.

It was a smaller room, barely big enough for her and the cabinets of walls surrounding her. The room was all gray, the walls and cabinet fronts, even the small rolling stool in tucked in the corner, all a dull gray. Max glanced over the cabinet handles until she found one that was devoid of dust on the top. With a strum of adrenaline running through her veins she yanked the cabinet open and peered inside. There was a note taped to the bottom, _'Did you think it would be that easy?' _ Max barely had time to read and register the words before there was a sharp pinch in her neck and the world began to swim around her. As the edges faded she twisted around and saw White smirking from the doorway.

"Hello 452, lovely to see you again."

Max wanted to snarl back, to give him a piece of her mind and her fist. She wanted to rip the smirk from his face and his heart from his chest. She wanted to peel the cure from his cold dead fingers and return to a lively Alec. She wanted a lot of things but all she got was a tingle across her spine and black spots across her vision. Before she crumpled to the floor she had enough breathe to mutter,

"I'm sorry Alec…" Then it all went black.

**supernaturalloverja**

"Wakey, Wakey 452! You don't want to miss out on all the fun!" White mocked loudly as an icy had slapped harshly at her cheek. She cracked her eyes open slowly, wincing at the bright light overhead, before they adjusted and she took in her surroundings. This room was larger than most of the other rooms in the hospital, from all the drains and plugs she guessed it was the O.R. She tugged at her arms but as she suspected they were pulled taunt in a metal strap. "You aren't going anywhere 452."

"What are you…? What 'bout Alec?" Her voice was hoarse and strained but it got her question across. White smirked evilly and stepped back to survey her before answering.

"What about 494? Are you worried about your love bird?" He cackled placing his palms on either side of her head and leaning close, his breathe tickling her ear and sending a shiver across her body. "I have a secret 452, would you like to know what it is?"

Max swallowed audibly before nodding her head carefully.

"That poison in 494 isn't designed to kill. Yes it causes pain for its victim, and it sure gave you a scare, but we didn't ever plan on taking 494 out. We planned this out to the last detail. You, coming here, and 494 is left all alone. Two for the price of one." With that he slammed a hand down by her head and gave a stomach churning laugh before jerking a way. Max gaped and rolled the information in her head.

"You son of a bitch!" Max screamed, "Just leave him alone! You have me! Just leave Alec out of this." She screamed and begged all the same time. Tears leaking out of her eyes and pouring over her face, she knew she looked weak but this was her last ditch effort.

"I'm afraid it's a little too late for that." White replied calmly before stocking out of the room, hands folded behind him and his back stark straight.

"What do you mean?!" Max yelled questioningly after him, but he gave her no answer and merely closed the door behind him. As she was about to call out again she heard a sound. A muffled scream. Not a scream of pain or fear, but a scream of longing. She knew that voice and she knew that scream all to well. Alec.


	14. Chapter 14

**I do not own Dark Angel or its characters if I did it would not have ended.**

The world came back to him all of the sudden. It wasn't slowly detail by detail built back up, but instead it all rushed upon him at once. He tried to gasp in but something blocked his airway, so instead he gagged and gaped like a fish out of water. Drool was pooling at his lower lip and dripping from the corners of his mouth. The piercing ring of his heart monitor as he panicked assaulted his ears and caused him to cringe around the tube down his throat. All at once nurses and doctors rushed into his room, cocooning his bed in the smell of antiseptic and frenzied hands.

"Alec, I need you to calm down so I can take this tube out. Can you do that for me?" A young nurse questioned him. At Alec's nod she carefully began to remove the tube. It eased out of his throat slowly and left a scratchy dry feeling in its wake. "Would you like so ice chips?"

Alec didn't attempt to speak, instead he just nodded his head again and the nurse left the room on light feet. Slowly the room's occupants began to dwindle after they had checked his monitors and poked and prodded, until finally it was only Alec and the young nurse with ice chips.

"Where Max?" Alec questioned softly, his voice cracking from misuse. The nurse, Maggy from her name tag, fed him another spoonful of ice chips before replying.

"She had to get something so she left for a little while." She answered quietly, her bright eyes dulling slightly. As Alec looked questioningly at her she refused to meet his gaze and instead focused on the purple cup and spoon in her hands.

"When will she be back?" Alec searched out her gaze imploringly but still she kept the blue orbs averted. After a moment she twisted a slender finger into a blonde strand that had fallen loose of her braid and bit into her bottom lip before staring straight at him.

"I don't know sweetie, but I'm sure she will be come back for you."

"Where did she go?" His voice becoming harder and more urgent, "Where did she go Maggy?"

"It isn't my place to say anything about that darling. Now you just rest…."

"Maggy…" The voice he used was small and lost, Maggy straightened her back and cupped his face in her palm giving him a soft smile.

"You really love her don't you?"

"Yeah I do." He stated without hesitation. Maggy nodded, her eyes crinkling in the corner with a hint of joy and sadness all rolled into one.

"You know she really loves you too." Alec cocked his head a bit at that, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"She never said…"

"She doesn't have to. I can tell. I saw the way she looked at you. She is a tough gal, but I think you're a chink her armor babe." Then with great care not to disturb her sore patient she rose of the bed and placed the ice chips on his bedside table. "Now anything else I can get you?"

"How about the release forms?" He replied cheekily. Maggy gave a throaty laugh and shook her head in amusement, letting her blonde braid swing across her shoulder blades.

"How about some ice cream instead?"

"I guess that will work, but only if you promise to tell me were Max went." Maggy frowned for a moment before giving a solemn nod.

"I think we can work something out." Maggy stated before turning towards the door. Only then did the transgenic notice the shadow in the doorway.

"Maggy! Watch…" But it was too late. The muzzle of a gun appeared from around the threshold and a shot with off. Maggy stumbled from the force of the blow before dropping in heap to the ground. Alec scanned her for the extent of the injury and saw a dart peeking out from the next of her pale pink scrubs. He allowed himself a sigh of relief before he swung his feet over the side of the bed and hefted himself onto unsteady feet.

A full man had appeared where it was once only a shadow and he gave an evil grin before lifting the dart gun and firing. Alec managed to slump to one side and miss the first dart. He took an unstable step forward and cringed at the aging that tore up his broken body. He didn't even see the second dart coming and it hit him straight in the neck. The world began to glaze over but he shuffled forward once more almost crying out at the pain that shot up his spine. The third dart buried itself in his arm and his knees began to tremble with exhaustion before he dropped down to the floor. Pain wrenched up his knees were they hit the tile and spread like fire up his thighs and into his torso, reaching all the way to his fuzzy head before he finally dropped onto his stomach. He managed to lift his head and peer up at the man who stood over him, seeing only bleach white teeth melded into a cruel smile, then everything went dark.


	15. Chapter 15

**Everyone i am soooo sorry! I posted the wrong chapter! I have just realized that I hadn't posted everything I wrote! My sincerest apologies. But now you get alot of chapters at once and I hope that makes up for it.**

**Supernaturalloverja**

The door to Max's little prison room was shoved open, causing it to swing in and bang against the wall. Max's head snapped up and she met eyes with White who stepped lightly into the room before moving to the side and allowing her a view of what was behind him. There stood two men hefting Alec up by his elbows. Alec's head drooped low on his chest and his normally spikey dark blonde hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat. His skin was pasty white, even his lips, which were parted trying to pant in harsh breathes. The two burly men dragged him across the threshold, letting his toes scrape across the tile, and looked to White for their next instruction.

"Put him in that chair, I don't believe restraints will be necessary." White answered back with little prompting before looking back to Max with a gleeful spark in his eye, "Now 452, I have a couple of questions."

"If it's about your outfit I'm going to have to go with a thumb down." White chuckled dryly nodding towards his two goons who in turn swung a fist in to Alec's face. His head snapped to the side and a red welt began appearing instantly on his cheekbone. "Leave him alone!"

"Or what 452? What are you going to do? Glare at me? Come up with more snarky comments? You are in no place to make threats and for your boyfriends sake I suggest you take this seriously."

"If I answer your questions will you let him go?"

"No." He replied shortly, "Why would I do that? I have both of you and you will answer my questions anyway."

"There is no point in answering your questions White, I don't get anything from it."

"So you need some incentive." The smirk he gave her made Max's blood run cold and caused her to swallow thickly tracking his minuet nod with her eyes. One of the goons pulled Alec up to his feet and looped his arms under Alec's armpits. The other one rolled up his sleeves to his elbows and took another swing at Alec's face, hitting his same wounded cheek and causing Alec to moan in pain. The next hit was to his abdomen, Alec tried to curl up subconsciously but his position wouldn't allow it and instead his eyes started flickering open. The bright greens hooded behind his eyelids were glazed and full of pain, with a third blow to his ribs his eyes snapped fully open and he sucked in his bottom lip to keep from screaming out. "Is that enough incentive 452?"

"No." The usual certainty in her voice was wavering and had she been the one to hear it she wouldn't have believed it either.

"Well I don't believe that for a moment 452. You can't put the genie back in the bottle you know, secrets out, you care."

Max stared hardly at White for a moment before letting her eyes flicker over to Alec. He was now staring straight at her with a mix of emotions in his eyes. Pain, worry, trust, fear, love….

"Don't tell 'em Maxie." Hit to the jaw. "Wow you guys really pack a punch."

"Stop it! What do you want to know White?" Max's voice was far calmer then she felt.

"Who is Eyes Only?" The question took the breath from Max's lungs, not that she wasn't expecting it, but a girl could hope.

"Don't tell Max!" Alec yelled out receiving a hit to his ribs for his trouble.

"Now, 452, who is Eyes Only?"

"I…don't know."

"Well that a lie and we both know it." White spat back turning on his heels and glaring down at her, "Tell me 452, why is it so difficult for you to tell me who Eyes Only is? It has to be something more than just his job."

Max hesitated for a minute until her eyes caught onto Alec and she saw blood leaking from the side of his mouth. His left eye was nearly swollen shut but his right eye was looking straight at her with a clear green. "I used to be in love with him."

"Used to?"

"Something came up." Max bit back, never removing her eyes from Alec's.

"Well this must be a difficult decision for you 452, between past and new loves, how heartbreaking." He cooed with a fake sympathy, "I'll tell you what 452, I am going to give you another option."

"What's that?" Max questioned with anticipation.

"Kill 494." The answer was matter of fact and it took the air from Max's lungs and caused her jaw to clench. She looked over to Alec's swollen features before answering back.

"And why on Earth would I do that?" She demanded through clenched teeth.

"Don't you see 452? It would make your life so much easier. All this transgenic has ever done is get in your way!" Tears began to well up in her eyes but not because of the statement, because now Alec wouldn't meet her pleading gaze. He believed it. "If you kill 494 then Manticore will have reason to trust you and you will no longer have to give up Eyes Only."

"I won't…"

"If you won't do it for that reason think about all the pain and suffering you will be eliminating from his future. Think of it as mercy if that helps."

"Can I just talk to him, please? Just for a minute." The pleading in her voice was very real and White flared his nostrils at the emotion but nodded consent. The two goons dropped Alec to the floor and White removed her restraints.

"Don't try anything 452, you will regret it." Then the three men left closing the door and clicking the deadbolt in place. Max leapt from her seat and knelt down beside Alec's crumpled form. She rolled his head in between her hands and brushed a gentle finger over the swelling of his face.

"Maxie…." Alec murmured looking up into her tearful brown eyes, she lifted his head onto her lap and let a tear slip. Alec brushed the tear off her face before continuing, "It's okay Max."

"No it isn't Alec. How could we go through all this and then you still die?"

"It's okay." He repeated, "Look at the bright side you won't have me around to bug you anymore."

"How could you say something like that?" Max cried out, clenching her petite hand in his hair and bringing a grimace across his lips.

"I'm just a pain in your side Max. You'll be better off without me."

"That isn't true…."

"Yes it is Maxie." His answer was quiet and resentful but rang true to him, "I love you so just, let me do this for you. Let me do one good thing."

"You are good Alec! You saved my life more than once, you put others before yourself, you protect everyone in terminal city…"

"But I only do that because of you! Don't you get it Max? You made me that person! You saved me! Now let me save you one last time."

"We will figure something out…"

"No, we won't, but you will. You will get out of here and go back to Eyes Only and find the cure…"

"When I said something came up, I didn't mean the virus."

"Or course you did Maxie."

"No Alec, I meant you."

"I don't…."

"I love you Alec! Can't you see that? I can't kill you because I love you, you idiot!" Alec looked taken aback by her outburst, but then in a rush of movement of darted forward and pressed his lips to hers. Warmth spread throughout her body like wild fire and she ran her linked her fingers behind his hair, pressing him closer. He dragged a hand up her back and the other twisted into her curls as his tongue dragged across her bottom lip and requested entrance. The kiss was slow and sweet but there was a fire and ferocity in it that could only be Max and Alec. Tears slipped over Max's cheeks and dripped down onto Alec's before he finally pulled away. Their lips were swollen and red as they stared at each other for a long moment.

"We will figure this out." She breathed out. Alec lifted himself closer to her with a twist of pain coming across his face. When his lips brushed her ear he finally spoke.

"Follow my lead Maxie." The usual cockiness in his voice caused a grin to break out over her face. Then he pulled back and allowed his eyes to flicker over to a countertop. Max looked over her shoulder to see a small glass vial. She stood slowly and moved soundlessly across the floor before picking it up and cradling it in her hands. It was a shot of adrenaline.

"But what if it doesn't work?" Her hands were shaking by the time she made it back to his side, the vial tucked safely in her pocket along with a syringe.

"Then you have an easier time getting out of here." Max dropped to her knees and dragged him up to her mouth, kissing him deeply before putting a hand on his heart and striking downward with all of the force she could muster. A gasp of air escaped his lips and brushed across her face as she lowered him back to the tile, his eyes staring upward and unseeing. Tears streamed down her face of their own accord and she had to use a hand to cover her mouth to muffle the sobs it tried to elect while the other hand clutched his cooling one with fierce determination. Then the door clicked open and White stepped back into the room. "It's done."


	16. Chapter 16

It was startling scene to walk into. A woman in tears crumpled upon the floor and grasping at a dead body. A dark angel cocooning her charge in the expanse of her arms as she wept in mourning and cradled the once lively transgenic in her embrace. If White had a soul or bleeding heart he might have even shed a tear at the scene laid before him. But he didn't have a soul, nor a bleeding heart and instead a cruel smirk teased at his chapped lips.

For Max the moment stood still, all she could do was stay there in the silence and hold tight to the body in her arms. She could feel every missing heartbeat, every lost breathe, and every missed blink of the eye as Alec lay cooling under her palm. She allowed herself a second to steady her voice before she glared up at White. "It's done."

His smile sent ice down her spine and caused her humanity to tremble but she knew Alec could only hold on so long. If she was going to be able to bring him back she had to move fast.

5 minutes, that's how long until a transgenic suffers brain damage. 300 seconds, that's how long she had until Alec was lost to her forever.

White's shoulders lost some of their stiffness before he strode towards the huddled couple. He pried Max back and pressed to fingers to Alec's throat, digging them down into the pulse point until it bruised before nodding in satisfaction. "I honestly didn't think you had it in you 452."

Then he turned away and Max saw her opening. Alec's plan had worked, the door was left open in White's surprise and the guard had his gun in loose fingers at his side seeing no threat. So as soon as White's back was to her Max hopped to the balls of her feet and swung a leg around to bring him down. As he dropped she leapt over his falling form and snatched the guard's gun from his lax grip before using her other hand to knock his head backwards into a cabinet.

3 minutes. 180 seconds.

By then White had begun to straighten himself but stilled his motions as Max swung the gun up until the muzzle aimed directly between his eyes. "Move White."

He arched an eyebrow upward and glanced back over his shoulder down at Alec's vulnerable body. "You won't kill me 452, you aren't a killer."

"Do you want to take that chance?"

"As soon as you fire that gun there will be guards surrounding this room and there is no chance of you getting out. However, if you don't fire that gun you won't be able to get lover boy. That's quite the dilemma 452, what will you decide?"

Max snarled under her breath before darting a look over to Alec's still body. He was still staring upward with glazed eyes, the usually sparkling green orbs dull and empty. His head had fallen to the side and his face was now pointing directly at her, allowing her to see the blue tint to his slightly gaping lips. It seemed as if those glazed eyes were watching her, almost expectantly waiting for her to save him. Just waiting to spark back to life.

1 minute. 60 seconds.

"Last chance White, move."

"No." His voice wavered but his actions didn't so Max squared her shoulders and took aim. She looked right in his eyes as she pulled the trigger. She saw them widen with fear and shock before going blank as a red dot blossomed and between them and White dropped to the tile.

50 seconds.

Max scrambled across the room and slid to her knees beside Alec. She moved quickly and precisely as she removed the vial and syringe from her pocket and filled the syringe with clear liquid.

40 seconds.

With a still hand she lined up the needle over Alec's still heart and thrust the needle in through muscle and tissue until it pierced his heart. The she pressed the stopper and watched as the liquid drained from the syringe and entered into the hollow needle.

30 seconds.

Max removed the needle and sat back on her heels waiting and watching as the adrenaline worked into his system.

20 seconds.

Nothing. That's what was happening, nothing. In desperation Max fisted her hands and brought them down full force onto Alec's sternum.

10 seconds.

Alec shot up his eyes wide and unblinking and he took in the room and gulped down air into his starved lungs. Max wrapped her arms around him and folded in on herself, curling her body around his and breathing him in. A broken cry tore from her throat as she wept onto his shoulder, shaking with relief.

"You almost didn't come back! Why wouldn't you come back?!" Alec gaped for a moment before wrapping his arms around Max's trembling body and pressing his face into her curls.

"I came back, Maxie. I will always come back for you." His voice was low and soothing, a soft reassurance in her ear, allowing her to calm and breathe. After a minute she pulled back and fiercely wiped at the tears streaming down her face.

"W…We have to get out of here."

Alec nodded acceptance before rising to his feet and offering a hand to Max. She took it with a grateful smile. "Well then what are we waiting for Maxie?"


	17. Chapter 17

Alec's feet dragged across the linoleum as Max hauled him further down the corridor. For a third time Alec struggled to help her but his liquid muscles only became heavier and he lagged downward.

"Would you just stay still?" Max groaned as she pulled his arm further up her shoulder and continued to move forward.

"Jus tryin' ta help…" He slurred back struggling to make words around his rubber tongue.

"Well it would help more if you stopped fidgeting." Max bit back, her voice airy and hoarse from exertion and tears. Alec gave off a resigned sigh and settled against her shoulder, his tired body un tensing and corded muscles unfurling. "We are almost out."

Alec gave a weak nod before his eyelids slowly slipped lower, allowing his lashes to cast shadows over his gaunt cheeks. Max gripped the fabric of his shirt as they neared the window she had come through. "Well how is this going to work…"

Max set Alec down so he was leaning against the wall before nearing their only chance for escape. The window was wide enough for them both but they were on the second floor and she didn't trust Alec's muscles to allow for that kind of jump. With an idea dredging up to the forefront of her mind she looped an arm around Alec and moved fluidly beside the window. Carefully she levered herself out and then pulled Alec out with her. She gripped Alec with all the strength of her right arm and kept a claw like grip on the sill with her left. "Can you grip the grating of the first floor if I let you down slowly?"

Alec gave an uncertain nod that Max was reluctant to trust, but she was desperate. With a low breathe she loosened her hold on him and let his torso slip downward until she got a grip on his shoulders. He was just tall enough that his boots scraped the grating. "On three. One…two…three."

With that she let go all together and he cut through the air at a startling speed. She sucked in a breathe as he managed to get a hold of the grating and an agonizing cry tore past his lips. It only lasted a moment as he managed to press his chapped lips back together but it was still enough. Max dropped to the ground and into a crouch before jumping up and pulling Alec down towards her.

"Sorry." He mumbled into her neck, his hot breathe sending a shiver down her spine.

"It's not your fault."

Alec's face remained in the crook of Max's neck as she scrambled forward. The sound of guards shouting echoed behind them but Max refused to look back as she continued forward at the highest speed her situation allowed. They continued on that way for hours before Max was nearly falling over with exhaustion.

"Rest Maxie." Alec said into her neck, his voice muffled by curls and sleep deprivation. Max dropped down beside a tree and leaned herself and Alec against the rough bark. "Max…."

"Hmm" Max queried, her eyes already beginning to seal closed.

"Thanks."

"For what? None of this would have happened if you weren't so sacrificial." Max murmured back with a lazing jaw.

"For not leaving me behind," Alec answered quietly, "For loving me back."

Max turned her head so she could look at him. His face was wide open, his usual Manticore mask shattered and his insides open for her to gaze at. "You deserve it. You deserve being saved and you deserve being loved. Don't ever let anyone convince you different."

Without waiting for his reaction she tucked her head against his chest and closed her eyes, "Now get some rest."

**supernaturalloverja **

When Max woke the sun was peaking up over the horizon and making colorful patterns through the tree's leaves. She tilted her head upward and gazed on Alec's peaceful face. She could feel his heartbeat beneath her fingertips and could hear the steady inhales and exhales of his breath against her forehead. How could she have not seen it before? How good he felt underneath her touch, how perfect she felt wrapped up in his.

"We have to keep moving." She inserted, breaking the silence. Alec blinked his eyes open slowly before unwrapping his arms and beginning to struggle at sitting up. Max moved off of his chest and grasped his biceps in her hands before pulling him to his feet.

Max went to pull his arm over her shoulder but he kept it tucked beside his and began to walk. "Alec wait!"

"I can walk on my own Max."

"Alec that's…"

"No, just let me walk on my own for heaven's sake! I'm not an infant! I have been able to take care of myself for quite some time."

"But Alec…"

"Would you just stop arguing we aren't going to get anywhere this way."

"Are you done?"

"Yes."

"You can walk by yourself but it may help if you are walking in the right direction." Alec looked agape for a moment and Max allowed for a smirk to raise up the corners of her lips.

"Oh." Then Alec turned in the direction she was pointing and hustled off, a pink blush coloring his high cheekbones. "Don't say a word."


	18. Chapter 18

"You know, they aren't going to stop coming after us." Alec said after they had been walking for a couple hours. Max glanced sideways at him and took in his profile. He remained staring forward with a grim expression overtaking his features, a slight wince twitching across his face with every step, but his tone was light and conversational.

Max took a deep breathe, bringing the cool evening air deep into her lungs, before replying, "I know." Alec made a slight nod but kept his eyes focused in front of him, Max stared for a moment before continuing, "but I have you by my side, so I think I have a good chance."

A slight smile quirked at the side of his full lips but it faded as quickly as it had appeared, "If I wasn't by your side, if you had done what they asked, you would have been free."

"I won't be free until they are all gone." Max stopped, grabbing Alec's wrist and spinning him to face her, "I made a choice."

"It was a stupid choice…"

"No it wasn't! What happened to the cocky self-assured transgenic that would throw anybody under the bus to live? The one who cost me the cure? The one that almost killed me?"

"He met you!"

"Exactly!" They were both panting at his point, eyes aflame with pent up feelings and desires, "You have changed Alec. I have realized that, and now I see what an amazing person you have become. Why can't you say that too?"

"I have so much to repent for Max. So much I did wrong, I just don't know how I could ever pay everyone back for what I have done, how to pay you back…" He was staring at his feet at this point. His green eyes slightly watery, but he wouldn't allow any tears to fall. Max lifted her hand and caressed his stubble covered jaw, trailing her fingers to his chin before lifting it so his eyes were on hers.

"You can't pay anyone back dead." A small smile slipped up the corners of her face, "I made a choice, I decided that having you alive and fighting with me was better than being peaceful on my own."

Alec glanced up at her through his lashes and nodded, "I love you Max."

"I know," Max replied turning continuing forward, "I love you too smart Alec. Now, enough with the moping let's get back home."

"I'm with you Maxie, I'm already home." Alec called sweetly behind her, "but I really can't wait till we get back!"

"And why is that exactly?"

"Well now that we have admitted out feelings we can finally release our inner desire!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Sex Maxie!"

"Alec…"

"Then again, why wait?"

"Alec!" Max swiveled around and lightly smacked the side of his head. "Keep walking Casanova or you're going to wish you were still with White."

"How I love your spunk!" Alec quipped, and they continued walking.

**Supernaturallloverja**

They reached a city about two hours later, by that time Alec was practically bent over in half trying to ease the pain exploding inside of his abused body. Max stole a car and gently lowered him into the back seat. They drove another three hours before they reached Terminal City, Max was never good with directions. By the time they got inside its gates Alec was sweating and shivering at the same time. He wasn't even coherent enough to complain about Max carrying him to the infirmary. That's what had led her here. To sitting in the small waiting room of the infirmary in a painful plastic pea green chair.

"Max." A small nurse's voice called dragging her attention from the linoleum, "Alec is going to be fine."

"What's the damage?"

"Three broken ribs, two cracked, a fractured tibia, deep bruising, and a slow internal bleed from his spleen, but he is all patched up and healing well."

"When can I take him home?"

"Probably tomorrow if continues on like this."

"Can I see him?"

"Sure, room 6." Max was out of her seat before the room number had passed the woman's lips. She strode all the way to room 6 before stilling in the door way. The visions of Alec lying sick in that bed, dying in that bed, came rushing back to her. He was so still, Alec was never supposed to be that still. But he was fine this time, he was going to heal, and he was hers.


End file.
